In the wake of the flooding of Tipton St John Primary School, Simon Jupp – MP for East Devon – has met with Education Minister Baroness Diana Barran to discuss plans for a new school to be built in a safer location.

The school was affected by a flash flood in May, when 130mm of rainfall fell on the village across a few hours. Students and staff had to be evacuated from the school by the fire service.

Whilst plans to build a new replacement school were confirmed in December 2022, in the wake of the recent flood officials from the Department of Education will visit prospective sites in the coming weeks in order to speed up the process. The existing site in Tipton St John has experienced flooding several times, with the Government having warned of a risk to life in the existing location.

Simon Jupp MP stated in Parliament on 12 June that the school’s need for relocation was ‘urgent’ and that ‘it’s clear action is needed now more than ever’. Nick Gibb MP, Minister of State for Schools, further added that ‘officials are working with the Diocese of Exeter [and] Devon County Council… to identify and secure a new site for the school’.